Parliamentary questions
Dr Sylvia Jackson
415 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is introducing to provide affordable houses in rural areas.
Answer · Margaret Curran: It is for local authorities to analyse housing needs in their areas and make plans to meet those needs. However, there are a number of national initiatives that can help increase the supply of affordable housing in rural areas.<P>Communities Scotland's Rural …
1 Aug 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19514 by Rhona Brankin on 26 November 2001, what action it is taking to protect Scotland's soil resource.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The study on the development of a soil protection strategy for Scotland by Stirling University was finalised in February and future action is now being considered. The recommended review of the available survey data being carried out by the Macaulay Land Use …
12 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to section 50, paragraphs 5 (a) and (b) of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Bill, what impact the threshold of ownership of at least three quarters of units in the development in respect of sections 27 and 32 of the bill will have on those resident in a shared equity complex.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The effect of section 27 of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Bill will be that a simple majority will be able to appoint a manager for the complex if the title deeds do not provide for an alternative decision-making process. Section 32 will allow the owners of…
12 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the possibility of using needle fasciotomy as a treatment for Dupuytren's Contracture.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is aware of this treatment. We do not, however, direct surgeons on whether or not to adopt this or any other specific technique. That is and must be a matter for clinical judgement depending on the circumstances of each individual case.
20 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations are in place to ensure that patients can gain access to their medical records.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Data Protection Act 1998 allows patients to gain access to their medical records. The Data Protection (Subject Access) (Fees and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2000 set out how much, up to a maximum of £50 a patient may be charged for access to the…
20 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long health boards are required to store patients' medical records.
Answer · Frank McAveety: For General Hospital and Community Health Service Health Records, health boards are required to store patient's medical records for six years following the date of the last recorded entry or three years after death.
19 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the spreading of abattoir waste on agricultural land.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive recognises the benefits of spreading certain types of wastes on agricultural land where the nutritional benefits reduce the need for expensive fertilisers. Blood and gut content from abattoirs may be spread on land which is used for agriculture …
12 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the Local Government Committee's 6th Report 2002, Inquiry into Local Government Finance.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Our response to the committee's inquiry has issued today (Reference SE/2002/104).<P>Copies are available from the Scottish Parliament's Reference Centre.
12 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the present regulation of horseshoeing in the Highlands, the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland is adequate and, if not, what action it intends to take to address this matter.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We have no reason to believe that the derogation from the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 for the Highlands and Islands Enterprise Area is having any adverse affect on the welfare of horses.
11 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to improve public transport in isolated rural communities.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive supports public transport improvements in rural areas through the Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant. To date £15 million has been awarded to local authorities for new rural public transport services. So far over 400 new or enhanced…
11 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that all persons aged over 60 will benefit from free off-peak bus travel.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is committed to the equalisation of age eligibility for concessionary travel at age 60 for men and women. Provisions to enable this are included in the Local Government Bill currently before Parliament, and the intention is to implement…
11 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to local authorities for the promotion of road safety and accident prevention schemes, including Pass Plus schemes.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Recently qualified drivers who participate in the Pass Plus scheme pay a fee to driving instructors for an additional course of instruction designed to equip them with additional experience and driving skills in areas such as driving at night and in all weath…
11 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Pass Plus schemes contribute to preventing accidents and improving road safety.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive welcomes Pass Plus as a scheme which enables new drivers to gain additional experience and positive driving skills that would otherwise take a long time to acquire. The scheme has been developed by the Driving Standards Agency, which chairs a bo…
11 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of accidents on roads involved drivers between 17 and 25 in each of the last three years.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Data about injury road accidents is collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report format. These returns cover only accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover "damage only" accid…
11 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage safer driving and improve road safety.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Through the Scottish Road Safety Campaign, the Scottish Executive targets road safety messages at drivers and other road users.<P>The campaign's Driver Behaviour Strategy, which addresses the issues of speeding, drink and drug driving, seatbelt use and young …
6 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary question to S1O-5268 by Nicol Stephen on 30 May 2002, what discussions it has had with local authorities over additional intake into the teacher induction scheme and which local authorities have indicated a willingness to take on student t…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Induction Implementation Group, established to develop the detail of the Teacher Induction Scheme, have been exploring the option of a second intake to the scheme. We have sought initial views from all councils and have discussed the matter at a meeting o…
24 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the area tourist board network.
Answer · Mike Watson: I am issuing a consultation letter today which begins an open three-month consultation on the future arrangements for the area tourist board network. The letter will be sent to all interested parties inviting them to contribute to the review. It will also be …
24 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to pensioners living in fuel poverty who are permanently resident in a mobile home.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Fuel poverty is caused by a combination of low incomes, fuel prices and poor home energy efficiency. Those on low incomes are being helped by the Chancellor of the Exchequer's reforms of the tax and benefit systems, particularly the Working Families Tax Credi…
24 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in investigating potential fraud in the Individual Learning Accounts scheme.
Answer · Iain Gray: Officials are continuing to liase closely with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise on the validation of outstanding claims and, in particular, any civil or criminal action to recover payments made. We will involve the police in cases wher…
24 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage the production and use of alternatives to peat.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The UK Lowland Raised Bog and Blanket Bog Habitat Action Plans encourage the use and production of alternatives to peat, and the Scottish Executive is jointly responsible for the objectives of the plans, in partnership with other agencies. The action plans ai…
24 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of peatlands is used for commercial peat extraction.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Scotland supports substantial areas of both raised bogs and blanket bogs, with an estimated total resource of 27,884 ha and 1,060,000 ha respectively. Peat extraction occurs from both habitat types.<P>The proportion of peatland currently subject to planning p…
24 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect peatlands.
Answer · Allan Wilson: A number of statutory mechanisms are in place to protect peatlands in Scotland. Raised bog and blanket bog habitats are both protected under the EU Habitats Directive through the designation of sites as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). There are 27 propo…
14 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering the possibility of operating a pet passport scheme on the Rosyth to Zeebrugge route.
Answer · Ross Finnie: My officials have been in contact with representatives of Superfirst Ferries about this issue. We are waiting for Superfirst Ferries to come back to us to fully discuss how they plan to operate the scheme.
10 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what new action it is taking to promote science in schools.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is continuing to implement a range of measures as part of its commitment to school science within <I>A Science Strategy for Scotland</I> and supporting delivery of the National Priorities for Education. During May, £3 million is being d…
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role alternative and complementary medicine have within the NHS.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive believes that complementary or alternative therapies may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions. There is no legislative bar to prevent practitioners of such therapies from offering their services, subject only t…
24 Apr 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving road safety on the A84 and the A85.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The following works are being progressed on the A84/A85: <P>The Traffic Regulation Order promoting a 30 mph speed limit on the A85 through Lochearnhead will be published shortly and providing there are no objections the new speed limit should come into force …
23 Apr 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether he will make a statement on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body about the weekend reports of Red Oak trees being purchased from Germany at #6,000 each for the landscaping of the Holyrood Parliamentary Building.
Answer · David Steel: Not for the first time, widespread publicity has been given to an erroneous story about our new building. No trees have been chosen or purchased. The tender documents for this landscaping have not yet even been issued and they do not include a requirement for…
17 Apr 2002 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what tangible benefits Scotland will gain as a result of this year's Tartan Week in the United States of America.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: This year, Scottish ministers supported Tartan Week activities with a particular emphasis on promoting tourism to the US market, in a year that everyone recognises has been extremely difficult for the Scottish tourism industry. Tartan Week greatly increased S…
26 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress there has been in (a) designating Special Areas of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive and (b) classifying Special Protective Areas under the EC Birds Directive.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is now very close to completing its submission of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) in advance of further formal consideration by the European Commission scheduled for June 2002. Ninety-eight per cent of the total of 227 SACs on which…
26 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its proposals for taking forward the principles of the Kerley Report on renewing local democracy.
Answer · Andy Kerr: We indicated in December last year that we would bring forward proposals for taking forward the principles of Kerley before the Easter Recess. We have today published <I>Renewing Local Democracy: the Next Steps</I> which fulfils that commitment. The document …